Slackware 9.1 release notes.  Wed Sep 24 21:00:51 PDT 2003

Hi everyone,

This is Slackware 9.1, the second release of Slackware based on gcc-3.
Many things have been fixed and improved, but here are a few of the
major changes:

GCC upgraded to version 3.2.3, with version 3.3.1 in the /testing
directory (because lots of source out there is not yet compatible with
it, but this is changing fast).

Slackware now includes Sun's Java(TM) 2 Software Development Kit Standard
Edition, Version 1.4.2_01 (thanks to Sun's new license).

The default sound system is now ALSA (the Advanced Linux Sound
Architecture), which is also the default sound system in the upcoming
Linux 2.6.x kernel.  If you wish to use OSS instead, the modules are
still available, but you'll need to remove the packages beginning with
alsa- and remove the OSS modules from /etc/hotplug/blacklist.

Both CUPS and LPRng are supported as printing systems.  A number of
command locations (like /usr/bin/lpr) are shared by these programs, and
whichever package (cups or lprng) is installed last will "own" these
symbolic links.  While both systems work no matter which way the links
are pointed, if you plan to use a spooling system you'll probably want
to do two things.  First, remove the one you're not going to use with
removepkg.  Next, reinstall the one you plan to use with installpkg.
This will make sure the links are set correctly, and get the tools you
won't be using out of the way.

The system init files have been streamlined and improved, while keeping
their number small and structure easy to understand.  IP addresses and
other settings have been moved out of /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 into
/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf.  Most of the init scripts in /etc/rc.d that
control network and other services may be enabled or disabled by setting
them executable (or not) with chmod, and a new menu in the installer
lets you choose the initial state for many of them.  If you want your
machine to come up on the network with no open ports at the first boot,
that's now easily possible.

There is improved Linux hotplugging support.  This takes over the job of
configuring Cardbus cards (instead of pcmcia-cs, still used for non-Cardbus
cards).  However, this means that if you're used to configuring your card in
/etc/pcmcia/, you'll need to set it up elsewhere.  For example, the old way
of configuring a Cardbus network card is by editing /etc/pcmcia/network.opts.
Now you'll need to set up the IP in /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf (or by running 
"netconfig") instead.  To make matters more confusing, non-Cardbus PC cards
continue to use /etc/pcmcia/network.opts!
   Even with the rough edges, the addition of Linux hotplug support is a major,
major step forward.  In most cases this new subsystem can probe for and detect
every piece of PCI, Cardbus, and USB hardware connected to the machine and
automatically load all the correct kernel modules.  Very nice.  :-)
NOTE:  if the hotplugging subsystem causes problems at boot time, it can be
skipped by passing the kernel a "nohotplug" flag on the kernel command line.

Speaking of PC card support, we're no longer using the driver modules that
come with the pcmcia-cs sources and have moved to the ones included with the
Linux kernel source.  Besides providing better PC card support, this will
make things easier for people who like to keep up with the latest kernels.

Support for USB keyboards is now integrated into the installer.  If USB
device detection causes problems (it shouldn't), it may be skipped by
passing the kernel a "nousb" flag at boot.  In the event that the keyboard
doesn't work right away when the install CD is booted, wait.  It will
boot automatically after two minutes without a keypress, and then the
kernel should find your keyboard.

Known gotchas:

If you use the xfs.s kernel (XFS filesystem support), you'll need to
install the kernel modules packages found in extra/kernel-modules-xfs/.
(the standard kernel modules aren't compatible with the XFS patched kernel).

Have fun!  :-)

Pat Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>